Jennifer Slattery Christian Blog and Commentary

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Responding to the Voice of God

"Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts ..." Hebrews 3:15

One day, years ago, I was speaking with an atheist. This was one of those intellectual conversations where I attempted to answer numerous questions he posed.

Though he appeared unconvinced by our conversation, I sensed God drawing the person to Himself and suspected He’d been reaching out, continuously in an effort to win my friend’s heart.

God does this with each of us, offering us glimpses of His all-consuming love throughout the day, but so often, those God-whispers are much too easy to rationalize away.

We’ll hear a word from God. Maybe a verse will speak to us, asking us to do something we’d rather not. Initially, we surrender completely. But soon His words, and our passion, fades. This is doubly true if we sense Him leading us in an uncomfortable or uncertain direction. Then, doubts arise. We ask ourselves: How do I know that nudge came from God? 

So we ask for confirmation, then another, then another. And over time, that tiny flame begins to fade. Life seeps in, and we tell ourselves we never heard a call at all.

Given enough time and human rationalization, even the miraculous can be explained away. Maybe Jesus didn't really walk on water or heal the blind man. Maybe that job offer was coincidental and that check that came in the mail at just the right time was a coincidence.

Until we’re broken and without hope, and God shows up. Then there’s no doubt. No explanations suffice, and that memory of God reaching down His hand and plunging us out of whatever mess we were in resonates so deeply, it cements itself into our hearts.

What about you? Contemplate all the ways God has shown up in your life. Does a song of praise bubble up within? Hold tight to those moments; remember them often. Our faith is strengthened and our love deepened in the remembering.

If you want to know God–truly know Him, and experience His freeing, cleansing love first hand, tell Him. If you seek, you will find. He’s already there, loving you, drawing you. Waiting for you to life up your face.